The Forgotten Series Book 2: The Unnamer
by CanadianRose
Summary: Melissa and the Doctor find themselves on a planet ruled by a cruel, gluttonous beast called the Unnamer.  When Melissa and a new friend fall into his clutches, it is up to the Doctor to save them, but will he be too late?
1. Chapter 1

*A/N Sorry it's been a bit of a wait. I got a little stressed out with finals and all that. So, book two of the Forgotten Series!

Chapter One:

It was a peaceful, beautiful day. The fields were as green as ever. Indeed, they were so green that it the temptation to frolic in the grass was nearly irresistible. The field was dotted with flowers, millions of brightly coloured splotches scattered across the verdant grass. There were trees, too, trees laden with yellow and red blossoms. They were so weighed down by them that there was a constant flurry of falling petals. The sun shone kindly on the grass, which was mottled by the leaves and branches of the trees. It was such a beautiful place and such a wonderful day that it seemed that someone, _someone_ had to be enjoying the field.

But there was no one there.

Why? The weather was perfect. There were no animals in sight. No bees or bugs swarmed relentlessly about. Perhaps there was no one nearby to enjoy it. But that was not true. Just in view was a quaint, cute little village. There were bound to be kids there. In fact, some could be heard laughing and giggling. So why weren't there any children leaping about in the grass? Perhaps it was because of the blackened ruins just visible on the horizon. Perhaps it was because of the beast that dwelled in the dark bowels of the decaying castle and of whom was told terrible legends and tales. Perhaps it was because of –

Oh, wait, a sound broke through the quiet, still air. A whooshing, wheezing sound. A very odd sound. Was it a bird calling? No, it was... something else. A tall, rectangular shape could be seen, a ghostly vision with a flashing light on top. But wait, it steadily became clearer. It was solidifying! And then the noise stopped. It was a big blue box with strange writing along the top. And then someone stepped out.

"Doctor!" the figure cried. "I don't believe it! It really is a spaceship!" She was a young girl, possibly in her early twenties, maybe even younger. Her brown hair shone bronze in the gentle sun. Her face was illuminated with excitement. Wide brown eyes danced as they swept across the breathtaking scene. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail which reached just below her shoulders. She was dressed in a pink shirt and jeans.

Another person came out of the blue box. This one was a tall, thin man. A big, broad grin was on his face. He also had brown hair, but his was not contained and was quite unruly. He wore a pin-striped suit which accentuated his thinness. "I told you that before, Melissa. Are you saying that you didn't believe me?"

"No, I believed you, it's just... it's still shocking to see a new place right before my very eyes! Where are we?"

The Doctor shrugged. "I have no idea. This planet isn't called anything. However, I did do a quick check on it. It's safe."

Melissa's eyes widened further. "I'm actually on an alien world?"

"Yes, you are. Now, just stay calm. Stick close to me, and don't be afraid. I won't let anything hurt you. But feel free to explore! We're here to do some sightseeing."

"It all looks so... normal," Melissa said, almost sounding disappointed.

"Is there a problem with that?"

"Yes, it's just... it's not really... special. I mean, why travel across the universe to see something you could just see at home?"

"We've hardly been here five minutes, Melissa. Give this world a chance."

Melissa looked around. "Beautiful spot. But where do we go now?"

The Doctor pointed straight ahead. "To that village."

They began to walk forward. Melissa was ecstatic. She was actually on another planet! She was about to meet a new species! Had anyone else ever done such a thing? Well, yes, because she already knew that she wasn't the first person to travel with the Doctor, but how many people got that chance? She could hardly wait. What would they look like? Would they be kind? Would she be able to talk with them? Oh, now that was a question.

"Do you know their language?" Melissa asked.

"No, this is a very isolated planet," the Doctor said. "Nothing worth anyone visiting here for, and the population basically stays planet-bound through all time. No one ever comes here, and no one ever leaves. So no one found any use in learning the language."

"Then how are we going to know what they're saying?"

The Doctor pointed back at the TARDIS. "She'll translate for us. She's telepathic, you know."

"Yes, you told me that." She skipped on ahead of him a bit. Her heart was about to burst with excitement. Oh, how she wished she could share it with someone. She knew who would have loved being here. They had always talked about this. He would have loved the Doctor. "Oh, I wish I could have brought – " However, she bit the sentence short and bowed her head.

"What did you say?" the Doctor asked.

"Nothing, Doctor," she said. "Nothing you can help with." She looked up. They were very close to the village now. They could see the thatched roofs and the cobblestone streets. There were banners and pennants hanging everywhere, and every house was surrounded by a brightly blooming garden. It was a very colourful village. As they drew closer, they could see small figures darting about between the houses. They were bipeds, and they seemed to be clothed. As they came even closer, Melissa could see more details of these alien creatures. They were humanoid except...

"They've got tails!" Melissa cried. "Awww, I want one! Why can't I have a tail? I'm sure I'd look fabulous with one."

"I'm not sure how I'd explain that to your mother."

"Nah, she won't care. Dad might. Miss Meaghan definitely will."

As Melissa had already seen, the life forms on this planet did have tails. They were flesh-coloured with a small tuft of hair on the end. Most had brown tufts that matched their hair colour. A couple were blonde. There was one that Melissa spied who was a redhead. And they could see that they were definitely children by now, for there was at least one bigger one outside every house, watching the children. The genders could be easily told apart in the same way as humans, and they were all dressed in brightly coloured clothes.

At first Melissa was smiling, but then she began to frown. "Doctor, why isn't anyone in the field? It looks so lovely there."

"I don't know. Maybe they need someone to supervise them."

As they walked through the long grass to the street, a couple of the children looked up. When they saw them, they promptly screamed and hid. The adults grabbed the others and hurried them inside. Melissa looked up at the Doctor in confusion. "We're an alien invasion, right? Is that why they're scared?"

"I don't think so," the Doctor said. "We're not much different than they are. There's something else going on."

They were soon to find out exactly what it was.

"You there! Odd tailless strangers!" a voice cried out. "Why have you come from the Forbidden Regions?"

The two looked around and saw a short, silver-haired woman stooped with age. She hobbled towards them with two hands on her gnarled cane. Her eyes were amber and they stared right at them, gazing past their skin into the souls beneath.

"Ah, yes," the Doctor said. "I'm the Doctor, and this is my companion Melissa R Brogan. We're travellers, foreigners. We're just passing through."

"I didn't ask who you are or what you're doing here," the woman said. "I asked why you were in the Forbidden Regions." She pointed with her cane to the field.

"Is that what it's called?" Melissa asked.

"Anything past that fence is the Forbidden Regions."

Melissa looked again. Sure enough she could see the flimsy fence that she had thought was part of the long grass beside the road. It was made out of woven grass. "Why is it forbidden?"

"You ask too many questions. You must answer mine before I answer yours."

"What's so dangerous about the Forbidden Regions?" the Doctor asked.

The woman stared at him. "Either you both are idiots and lost your brains when you lost your tails or you came from a very far land."

The Doctor laughed. "Oh, we came very _very_ far."

"We weren't in the Forbidden Regions that long," Melissa said. "Only about fifteen minutes."

"And we'll only be there fifteen minutes more as we go to leave."

"You can't traverse the Forbidden Regions in fifteen minutes!" the woman cried.

"I have transport," the Doctor said vaguely.

"Your transport. Does it have a name?"

"Yes, it does."

"Then it's safe. You shall be safe to go back into the Forbidden Regions in order to leave for your home. But you must exit with the utmost speed when you do." She began to hobble away again.

"But she didn't answer my question!" Melissa protested.

"Melissa, be respectful," the Doctor cautioned.

"Doctor, what is going on here? Why is it forbidden? And why is it so important that the TARDIS has got a name?"

The Doctor shrugged. "I really don't know. And I'm in no hurry to find out. It might be dangerous. We're taking it easy this time."

Melissa pouted slightly. "But Doctor, these people might need our help."

"No, Melissa," the Doctor said firmly. "We're not intervening. Not this time."

"So, we're just going to hop back onto the TARDIS and go home."

"No, I didn't say that. Come on, let's explore! Let's just stay out of the Forbidden Regions for now."

Further down the road there was a market, a whole street lined with brightly coloured stalls. They were selling jewellery, clothing, food, fabric, and even animals. There was a whole pen filled with what looked like goats, but Melissa was quite sure they weren't. Passersby stared at them in the same way someone on a street on earth would stare at someone with a missing limb and dressed in strange clothes. Some children asked their parents questions about the weird foreigners, but they were hurriedly shushed. Melissa felt a little self-conscious with her taillessness. And she had noticed that no one was wearing pants. They all wore robes and tunics and special patterned wraps. The men mostly wore tunics, and the women wore the beautiful wraps done in many different styles. Melissa felt somewhat immodest in her form-fitting jeans.

"It makes me want to wear what they're wearing," Melissa said.

"Well, you could always ask," the Doctor said. "I'm not sure what they use for currency."

"Do you have any money?"

"No, not a cent."

"Then how do you eat? And where do you get those clothes?"

The Doctor smiled. "I get them from the TARDIS."

"Yes, but the TARDIS can't _make_ clothes, can it? I mean, do you have a cotton field in there? A loom?"

"No, I pick them up on my travels."

Melissa looked around. "Maybe they'd be willing to trade. I don't know, do they like silver? 'Cause these earrings are silver."

"Why are you wearing them? I don't think you'd want to lose them some thousand light-years from your home."

Melissa frowned. She thought back to when she had first put them on. Since she had been on the TARDIS, she only had time for a quick bath. She wasn't able to change her clothes. That meant that she had been wearing these clothes since running into the Doctor on the greenbelt. Goodness, so much had happened since then. She had been used as bait in a kidnapping, had been taken to a mysterious facility, had failed the Doctor, had been brainwashed, had nearly died from trying to save the Doctor, and had broken up with her boyfriend. And these earrings? She had just gotten them that night, the last night she had seen her dad and Miss Meaghan before all that happened. Was that really only twenty-four hours ago?

"I got them last night. They were a gift. She insisted that I wear them to meet Russell. Right before he kidnapped you on the greenbelt."

"A gift? Well, I'm sure I can find something _else_ to trade if you really want to wear something."

"No!" Melissa said, perhaps a little too quickly. "No, it's fine. One of those wraps would be much better than these earrings. I've got way better ones at home. Besides, I hardly have enough room in my jewellery box for these!" She unclasped the hoops from her ears and walked up to the nearest booth selling the elegant wraps. "Would these be enough for one of those? They're pure silver."

The man's eyes nearly leaped out of their sockets when they saw the shiny metal trinkets. "Silver? Oh, of course! You may take whatever one you want."

"I'm guessing silver's just as valuable here as it is at home," Melissa said over her shoulder to the Doctor as she went through the fabrics hanging off a row of poles along the top of the booth.

The Doctor stood beside her as she searched through the fabrics. "Normally people wouldn't throw away gifts like that. It's considered rude in most cultures."

"Well, she's rude herself. She's not giving them to _me_, she's giving them to the person she _wants_ me to be. The person that's not real. What do you think of this purple?"

The Doctor pushed her hand down, the one that was holding the material out and hiding her face. "Melissa, there's more than one way to make a point."

"Yes, and I've tried everything. Besides running away. So, what do you think?" She held out the material.

"Running away won't fix anything."

"But aren't you running?"

"How can you tell?"

"I can't, not until I ask and see your reaction. And you are running from something. What is it?"

"Do I have to tell you?"

"No, but I'm not going back if you aren't."

The Doctor looked at her. "The purple looks nice." Then he turned and walked away.

Melissa laid the material down before she looked over her shoulder to see where he had gone to. She saw him only a short distance off, standing by a fountain. She turned back to the booth, not worried about him abandoning her.

"Do you and your husband often argue?" the seller asked.

"No, he's not my husband."

"Ah. Engaged?"

Melissa laughed. "No! He's my travelling companion, or rather I'm his."

"Ah, but you are family?"

Melissa shrugged. "I guess. Then he'd be my uncle."

"I see. Do you and your uncle often argue?"

"No. We've only known each other for a couple days."

"He lived far?"

"Well, he travels a lot. But it seems like we've been together a whole lot longer, 'cause so much has happened."

"It sounds like a perilous journey."

Melissa laughed. "Yeah. We were in a lot of danger. So, how do you put this on?"

"There are many different ways. My daughter made doll figures to demonstrate many of the different methods."

Melissa looked over at the counter. Sure enough there was a row of many small white figures, all wrapped up in different coloured material. "May I take these, too? So I'll know how to wear them at home?"

"Of course, your jewellery will be enough for that, and also for a bag if you need one."

Melissa looked down. Of course she would need a bag. She couldn't run after the Doctor while carrying all of these, could she? The man handed her a small box filled with copies of the little doll figures. He pointed to a small hut nearby, so Melissa went there to change. After going through the dolls, she decided to choose a design that was a lot like a sleeveless dress, with the wrap going once around her chest and again around her waist. Then she packed up her other clothes in her new bag and went to go find the Doctor. The fabric felt cool and smooth against her body. It would be blissful to wear this in the humid Houston weather once the Doctor brought her back.

The Doctor was still standing by the fountain when she came out. He smiled at her. "You look great."

"Thanks. I feel a bit more like the indigenous population. But I'd feel a whole lot more so if I only had a tail."

"I don't think they have any on sale here."

Melissa sighed. "Shame. They look so cool."

"So, do you want to look around some more?"

"Of course."

So they walked further down the street, surrounded by booths. The noise grew as more and more people came to purchase things. The sellers were constantly yelling their purchases out at the tops of their lungs. Children were continually dashing past, often getting in the way of others. However, one child they saw wasn't enjoying himself in the marketplace.

"Doctor, look! That boy over there is crying. I think he's lost."

The Doctor looked to see where she was pointing. "So he is. Let's go see if we can help."

Melissa moved closer. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"I've lost my mother!" the little boy wailed. He was probably only ten years old. He was small and had light brown hair on his head and tail. He was holding onto his tail like it was a lifeline, staring at the street with wide, tearful eyes.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Melissa said. "We'll find your mom."

"Do you know where you live?" the Doctor asked.

The little boy nodded.

"Then we'll go there first. There might be someone else at home. Your father, perhaps? A bigger sister or brother?"

The boy nodded again. "Tity should still be home."

"Yes, then we'll take you to Tity."

The boy began to quieten down. "Thank you. My name's Moy."

"And I'm Melissa," Melissa said. "That's the Doctor."

"Come on, let's get you home," the Doctor said. "Can you lead us to your house?"

"Yes," Moy said, leaping to his feet. He grabbed onto Melissa's hand. "Come on!" He seemed a lot happier now that they were with him. He hurried along at quite a pace, his bare feet pattering across the grey stone streets. Melissa had to walk faster than she usually did to keep up with him. However, the Doctor didn't seem to be making any extra effort, and he was right behind them.

"Thanks so much," Moy said. "I didn't think anyone would help me. Usually people are too afraid to help lost kids."

"Why?" Melissa asked.

"Because they're already marked for the feast. And if anyone interferes, then they'd be taken, too."

"The feast? People here eat children?"

"No, not people. _A_ person. And he's not really a person. He's a thing. And he doesn't eat their bodies. He eats their souls."

"How does he do that?"

"He steals their names," Moy said quite matter-of-factly. "We call him the Unnamer."

Melissa was silent. This could very easily be a bogeyman tale meant to scare children into staying with their parents. However, this myth seemed to have some substance. The Forbidden Regions, the warning from the old woman, the panicked flight of those other kids. There was also the way passersby reacted to Moy being lost. They didn't stop and help. They didn't even look his way and say things like "poor boy". They just bowed their heads and walked a little faster. A few looked overtly scared. Could this Unnamer be real?

"How does he steal your name?" Melissa asked.

"He finds it," Moy said. "If he knows it, then it's over. You're his."

"Well, how does he find it?"

"Someone tells him. He has servants out here listening."

"So, he's got some spies, then."

"Yep."

"Well, what if you had a secret name?"

Moy frowned in confusion. "A secret name?"

"Yes, like a nickname, but only a few people know it."

"Here people only have one name."

"Well, if I give you a nickname, and you take it as your own and keep it secret, that may keep that Unnamer guy far away."

"It might work," Moy said.

"Alright, I think I've got a name for you."

"What is it?"

Melissa leaned close. "Nathan," she whispered. "It's a very brave name. I think you're a very brave boy."

Moy – Nathan – grinned broadly. "Thanks, Melissa. That just might work!" He stopped in front of a door. "And this is my house."

A redheaded girl dashed out of the door. "Moy, what are you doing home? Where's Mom? And who are these strangers?"

"Tity, I got lost! But then they found me and took me home."

"Moy, you should have been more careful! Oh dear, that's very, very bad. He might just come after you now."

Moy shrugged. "That's okay. I've got a secret name now."

Tity smiled. "And what is that secret name?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't really be a secret name anymore, would it?" Moy giggled.

Tity, still smiling, turned to Melissa and the Doctor. "Thanks for bringing my brother home. You don't know how much this means to my family. But you may have just signed your death warrants. The Unnamer doesn't really take kindly to interference."

The Doctor smiled. "I really don't think that'll happen. You seem to have a well-populated village here. Plenty of children. How many people vanish to the Unnamer?"

"Not many, but that's because we've learned. Hardly anyone ever gets lost here."

"And how many of those lost children get taken?"

Tity's face became solemn. "It takes time, sometimes years, but every child who had once been lost is taken. And some are taken even if they were never lost."

"But I'm okay," Moy said. "I've got a secret name. He'll never guess it."

Tity smiled wanly. "We can only hope. But you two better hurry! And be careful. He strikes when you least suspect it. Thanks again."

"You're welcome," the Doctor said.

"Bye!" Moy called.

The two travellers turned and walked down the street. "Wow, first trip and I'm already involved in my first adventure!" Melissa said. "So, what are we going to do now? Investigate the Forbidden Regions? Check out some other stories about the Unnamer? Or are we going to wait and watch Moy?"

"We aren't going to do any of those things," the Doctor said sternly.

"What? Oh, okay. Then what are we going to do?"

"We're going to go back to the TARDIS. Melissa, I don't want you involved in this. If this Unnamer is real, then we're in real danger. I promised to play it safe. We're leaving right now."

"But what about Moy?" Melissa demanded, climbing over the flimsy fence. "What about him? Shouldn't we at least try to protect him from the Unnamer? If Tity's right, then he'll be coming after him! And what about all those other people? They need our help!"

"Melissa, I'm not going to lose you. I've lost too many."

"Yes, but someone else will be losing their son or daughter," Melissa said solemnly. "Come on, we could at least _try_."

"Okay, I will help them, but you're going to stay in the TARDIS."

"Okay, that fixes that problem, but what if you need help? Don't you remember what happened with the Daleks? I saved your life."

"Yes, and you nearly died yourself. I'm not having you die. I'm going to take you home to your parents."

"Doctor, I'm an adult now. I can choose my own life. And that's why I'm running away; someone else was trying to choose it for me."

"Melissa, we're not helping!"

Melissa stopped and crossed her arms. They had reached the TARDIS by now. "You can be really selfish, don't you know?"

"It's a protective mechanism," the Doctor said as he went inside the TARDIS. "I've been hurt too much."

Melissa remained outside. "So? I'm going to be a nurse. There will be patients who don't make it. Some of my patients will die. But not all of them will. No, there will be some happy endings."

The Doctor stuck his head out the TARDIS doors. "Yes, but that's you. There are _never_ any happy endings with me. I'm _always_ alone."

"Not _always_. Are you alone right now?"

"No, and I intend to stay that way. Either we play it safe or you leave."

"I'm leaving anyway! Don't you remember? Only one trip, you said."

"If you keep arguing, then it'll _definitely_ be only one trip."

Melissa sighed and turned around. The grass swayed in the breeze. She watched it closely. It was rippling like waves in the wind. Goodness, it must be quite a wind. But why wasn't she feeling anything? She stepped out into the undulating grass. Nothing. There was no wind whatsoever. That was rather curious. What was going on?

The Doctor walked around the console of the TARDIS. Melissa was right. She was so, so right. When did he have a companion that was so right when he was so wrong? Never. He had never been as wrong as he was before. It was nearly over, wasn't it? His song was ending.

_Don't think of that_, he told himself. No, his song wasn't ending. At least, not yet. He could keep replaying the chorus for at least a while longer. Hey, he was a Time Lord. Playing with destiny was what he did before breakfast.

Suddenly, a cold band constricted around his hearts. He gasped for breath. The TARDIS shook violently, and the regular yellow lighting was replaced with red. Someone was trying to break into the TARDIS. "Fight it, old girl!" he cried. "Don't let them in!" It was a good thing that Melissa wasn't inside at this moment. It would probably terrify her.

Melissa couldn't move. Her feet were stuck solidly into the ground. A rushing sound filled her ears. "Doctor!" she cried. She felt cold. Suddenly, she felt icy tendrils snake up her legs. She looked down and saw a transparent barrier forming around her feet. It crawled up her body, freezing her until she was immobile. She gasped when it reached her chest. She couldn't breathe. Her chest was squeezed so she couldn't get any air in. Her heart fluttered, trying to beat in the frigid cold. She was completely encased in the ice now. What was going to happen to her? Was this the Unnamer's work? If it was, then someone had better do something. If she wasn't rescued in a matter of minutes she would be beyond help. Black worms began to fill her vision. She wasn't sure if it were a lack of oxygen, a lack of blood, or the process that had made her into an ice sculpture that was responsible. Everything went dark. Then she felt the barrier squeeze in on her and then...

Nothing.

Melissa R Brogan was gone.

And the Doctor had no idea of this. The TARDIS was still trying to rid itself of the unwelcome intruder. It began to buck and shake from side to side. The Doctor was thrown to the ground. The TARDIS's violent movements and the discomfort he was in from his psychic bond had knocked him off his feet. He had a hand on his chest and the other on his head. All his thoughts were focused on helping the TARDIS kick out the intruder. The intruder was leaching substantial energy out of the TARDIS, trying to use it against it. As a result, the Doctor's mental capacity was diminished. It was a temporary effect. It would resolve once he withdrew from the connection, but now the TARDIS needed him.

His measures began to take effect. The TARDIS stopped shaking, and the pressure on his chest eased. He breathed deeply, remaining connected just a minute longer to see if there was any damage. Nothing, besides a substantial energy loss. The TARDIS could easily remedy that. He withdrew, the TARDIS's lights dimming to save energy. He stood up, feeling a little shaky. Things like that were always draining.

"Melissa, sorry about that, but you can come in now," he said, checking over himself to see if he had any injuries. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and psychic paper. No damage done to the screwdriver. "Melissa?" Could that girl be throwing a tantrum? Was she being stubborn by staying outside? He peered outside and saw no one. "Melissa, where are you?" No response. He checked the psychic paper. There was something written on it.

"Doctor,

"You have been foolish to interfere with my work here. As a result, you will suffer the consequences. I have your friend. She is no longer Melissa now. By the time you get this she shall be a simple shell of her former self. There's nothing you can do to help her. You're next. Either you come to me or I get you. Either way, I win.

"Sincerely,

"The Unnamer"

*A/N Hopefully I'll be able to update very quickly, with it being summer. So, it seems that Melissa has some issues, and now she's in real trouble. And what about Moy/Nathan? Will Melissa's idea work?


	2. Chapter 2

*A/N Again, sorry for the wait. My mind just isn't in summer mode yet. So, in this chapter we learn what happens to Melissa and Nathan/Moy.

Chapter Two:

Melissa drew in a great, shuddering breath. Her whole body ached with the lack of oxygen. She breathed heavily. Her sense of touch awakened painfully. Being encased in ice – or whatever that was – had numbed her, and now her nerves were protesting. Her eyes fluttered open. She saw a grey stone ceiling, cracks splitting across its surface like old wrinkled skin. Where was she? She didn't really care right now. Her mind was still foggy. All she wanted to do was sleep. So, now that she was breathing normally, she closed her eyes.

She didn't know how long she had her eyes closed. It could have been minutes, hours, or even days. However, her mind began to awaken slowly, as if she had been drugged for an operation or was interrupted from a heavy sleep. Inevitably, her brain began to recount her experiences, primarily the most recent ones. With a jolt of fear she remembered what happened to her. She looked around wildly. Where was she? What had happened to her? Where was the field?

She decided that she must have been transported. But who could have done that? The Unnamer, it must have been him. She felt chills run down her back. Those terrifying legends must be true, then. Tity had been telling the truth. But what happened to the Doctor? And Moy? Had Moy already been taken and un-named? And what would her fate be?

However, she soon calmed herself down. She didn't really know anything yet. She could have been rescued or something. Perhaps she was in someone's house. If it was the Unnamer, then she still had hope. The unnaming thing might not work on her species. Besides, no one really knew what happened to the people the Unnamer took. Before she knew for sure what her situation was, she wasn't going to give up. No, she was going to look around and find out more.

She slowly sat up. She felt slow and clumsy. Her muscles were still thawing. She lay her hands on the surface she was lying on. It was a strange, almost leathery cushion. She looked down. She was lying in a transparent hollow tube, with a section cut out of the top to form a sort of bed. It was about a foot longer than she was tall. She looked behind her, where her head had been laying. A large, cup-like metal object was at the end. It reminded her of the things they used in hair salons, the weird objects that fit over people's scalps. As she looked at it now it seemed to glow. A ring of lights around the outside edge began to glow red, chasing each other around the circumference. Something was happening. She had better get out.

She tumbled to the ground, landing on coarse hay. She looked up in curiosity. Hay? The room she was in was small and completely made out of stone. There was no sign of any technology, besides the tube. It was quite a startling contrast. A piece of space-age equipment ensconced in a medieval room cushioned by hay.

A stream of white light arced from the metal cap down to the foot of the machine. It pulsated and glowed. Then, as she squinted at it, she could see a figure forming. The light began to fade, revealing a young boy. She immediately recognized him.

"Moy!"

The boy did not respond. He lay as still as death. With a start, Melissa realized that he wasn't breathing. However, before she could intervene, he began to gasp. He remained still and quiet.

"Oh, Moy," Melissa sighed. So, that was how she had arrived. The same thing that had happened to her had happened to Moy – Nathan. She was in the Unnamer's clutches. But what about the Doctor? Maybe he was still on the way. In that case, she'd have to get ready for him. Moy couldn't be left in the way. She gently picked up his body and set him on the hay. The young boy was light enough to carry. She lay beside him, watching his face, waiting for him to awaken.

It didn't take long. He soon began to stir and moan. She grabbed his hand to let him know that she was there. "Mom, am I sick?" he mumbled.

"No, I'm not your mom," Melissa said. "It's Melissa. Do you remember me?"

His eyes flew open. "Melissa? Where are we?"

Melissa bit her lip. "I'm afraid that we were caught. I think the Unnamer caught us."

His eyes widened. "You, too?"

"Yes, me, too."

"But what about the Doctor?"

"I don't know. He hasn't come yet. He was in the TARDIS, perhaps he was safe there."

"What are we going to do?" Moy squeaked.

Melissa leaned back. "Wait, I suppose. The Doctor won't give up on us, I can guarantee you that." Of course he wouldn't, not after him fussing about losing too many. "We just have to sit tight and manage on our own until then."

"Do you think we can?"

She smiled. "You have a secret name now. That might protect you. And I don't think the Unnamer will find out my full name."

Moy frowned. "Your full name?"

"Yes. Where I come from most people have three names. A first one, a middle one, and a last one."

"Really? That's weird."

"I like my middle name. And I don't think he's going to guess it."

"But do you really think it'll work?"

Melissa leaned close to him. "No, Nathan," she whispered in his ear. "But we must be brave. The Doctor's out there, and... what do you believe? Do you have a god?"

Moy nodded. "Yes, he watches the seasons, but would he really save us? It doesn't look like he really cares for us."

"Well, Nathan, I have a God, too. And I know He cares. And I know He can help us."

"How do you know?"

Melissa shushed him. She straightened up. "I think I hear someone coming."

Sure enough, someone knocked on the door a moment later. It creaked open. Melissa and Moy (Nathan) gasped. Two men entered, looking just like the usual men mingling about in the market only a short distance away. However, their eyes were blank. They were dark, open, vacant holes. There was something odd about their movement, too. They moved like robots, strong and purposeful, their gaze on nothing but their destination. They didn't glance about the room, nod a greeting, or do any sort of purposeless gesture a person would usually do. Every single motion was precise and efficient.

"You will come with us," one of the men said in a chilling monotone. His face showed no emotion.

"Why?" Melissa demanded.

"It is your duty."

"Well, what if we don't want to?"

"Then you will be forced."

"Melissa, I don't want to go!" Moy cried. "They're taking us to be unnamed!"

Melissa leaned close. "Be brave, Nathan. Now we're going to see if our plan works." She straightened up. "Alright, take us to your leader," she said with a smirk. It felt so weird saying that.

They were marched down long, stone corridors. Dimness surrounded them, so Melissa could only see a faint light at the end, beckoning them on. She wondered if there was any rough edges they might trip over. However, the men marched on without faltering. She was certain that they wouldn't trip over anything. That wouldn't suit their automaton-like resemblance.

They were soon in a large room. Melissa looked up. It was a tall, circular room, with a domed ceiling. Everything was made of stone, but there were a few tapestries as well. Those tapestries were very colourful, especially with all the red on them. Whoever had made those must have been fascinated with blood and gore. Many doorways lead into the room. Directly in front of them, leaning against the far wall, was a gigantic stone throne. The steps leading up to it had many horrifying creatures sitting on it, carved out of stone. The armrests were also elaborately carved, and they ended with snarling snouts, showing horrible, long teeth. However, the... _thing_ that was on the throne was by far the most terrifying object in the room.

Melissa was reminded of a crocodile blended with a T rex. The figure was massive, its bulk spilling over the edges of the throne. Its belly bulged out, and its legs were as thick as tree trunks. An ugly, warty tail came from behind the throne and wrapped itself around the foot of the throne. The creatures arms were as warty and rough as the tail, but they were similar in proportion to a human's arms, with curtains of flab hanging from its upper arms. Its huge head was balanced on a short, thick neck. Two tiny black eyes stared straight at them, and its mouth was a massive, long snout with long, curved white teeth. Its ample stomach was a pale greenish-gray and reminded Melissa of a balloon that was about to burst. Several chins dangled on top of its chest. The skin on its head, limbs, tail, and no doubt its back as well, was a dark grey and as lumpy and bumpy as Miss Meaghan's attempts at porridge. Melissa was repulsed.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" the crocodile creature said. "Mmmm, two new delicious morsels. Wow, I'm certainly lucky today, aren't I?"

Melissa was surprised by the monster's voice. She hadn't expected it to speak English. And if it did, she thought that it would have sounded guttural and grating. However, this monster's voice sounded like an ordinary human's. Its tone was carefree and jocular. If it hadn't been so terrifying and if the evidence of its crimes hadn't been standing right beside her, then she would have thought that it was in no way dangerous. As it was, the calm, almost friendly tone was far more chilling. This creature had no conscience. It was a greedy, cold, antisocial glutton. If he depended on names for sustenance, then by his appearance he had more than enough. He showed no remorse.

"Well, before we get started, I think we need to introduce ourselves," the beast said grandly. A clawed hand went to his chest in a pompous motion. "They call me the Unnamer. You should have heard a lot about me. This marvellous palace is my home, in which you indeed are most welcome as guests. We shall soon have a feast together, but you may feel a little... indisposed."

Melissa stared at him. She squeezed Moy-Nathan's hand. _Don't say anything,_ she thought hard. _Don't speak._ The young boy seemed to have gotten her message. He remained silent. He probably had the same thoughts as Melissa about this promised feast. They were going to be the main course.

"Come on, speak up! How do you think we're going to be friends if we don't know each other's names? Now now, don't be shy!"

"We know what you want," Melissa said coldly, trying to seem brave. It may not keep the Unnamer away, but at least it would encourage Nathan. "You aren't going to get it."

"Oh really? Well, sorry to say, but I already have it. I don't need you to tell me your names. I already know them. I try to be polite, you see, but sometimes I have to take action."

So much for that idea.

"Okay, let's see, _you_—" a long claw pointed at Nathan "—are Moy." His claws extended, reaching for the frightened little boy. His mouth stretched in what seemed to be a smile as Nathan's chest began to glow blue. The glow swelled until a bright ball of blue light was hovering in front of the boy. Nathan was terrified. He tried to grab the glow and press it to his chest, but his arms passed right through it. The Unnamer chuckled as he twitched his claws and the ball flew towards him. The ball nestled in his claws. However, once it contacted his sharp talons, it disappeared in a flash of light. He howled with rage.

"I told you you wouldn't get it," Melissa taunted, trying to hide her trembling. She glanced at Nathan. The boy was pale, sweaty, and trembling, but he cracked a smile at Melissa. He was unaffected by whatever the Unnamer had done. He was nothing like the soulless zombies that stood at the doors.

The Unnamer tried again with the same result. The ball disappeared in a flash, little streams of light leaking through his claws. He growled and dragged his claws through the stone slab of throne beneath his arm. Melissa and Nathan cringed at the sound.

"Well, if that didn't work, then I'll try you, _Melissa!_"

It was a strange sensation. A tingling feeling filled Melissa's chest. She looked down and saw that same blue glow. She looked up and stared straight at the Unnamer. What she had told Nathan earlier came back to her. She might still be safe. The ball flew away from her. She felt weak. It was as if her strength had left her in the form of that ball of light. The closer it came to the claws of the Unnamer, the weaker she felt. However, once it touched his claws, it exploded, and she felt all of her strength return as if it had been attached to one end of an elastic, stretched, and then released.

The Unnamer said a naughty word. Nathan gave him a curious look, obviously puzzled by the obscenity. Melissa was grateful for this. He was too young to know swear words.

"What is the meaning of this?" the monster shouted. Then he pointed a claw at her. "You – you have no tail."

"Yes," Melissa said, spinning in a full circle, making her dress flare outwards. Might as well play this for all its worth, she thought. "I'm a traveller from a faraway land. I'm a companion to a fearsome warrior. No doubt he's on his way right now to rescue us."

"I think not. I have his name, too. Slaves, what is this girl's name?"

One of the soulless people walked up to him and whispered in his ear. The Unnamer's expression was first one of confusion, but then a sly smile distorted his ugly face.

"Ah, I see. Well, I suppose where you come from they have more names than one. Is that right, Melissa R Brogan?"

Melissa nearly laughed. The ball came and left her again, causing her to almost stumble in the sudden weakness, but it soon dissipated like the last time. She found herself smiling. "Looks like you've got yourself a little puzzle here. You don't know either of our names."

"Who cares? I'll soon find out. Besides, you aren't going to escape this castle. I'm going to keep you here until I find your names or until I think you're big enough for me to eat your flesh. Both of you are a little too small for that, but I don't doubt that he'll be nice and tender. Of course, that's a last resort. There are things I can do to you, terrible things. You'll soon be telling me your names yourself and _begging_ me to take them."

"You won't ever take our names!" Melissa shouted. "The Doctor will come before you do!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the Unnamer said with a lazy flick of his wrist. "Take them to the dungeons."

Melissa's arms were nearly wrenched out of their sockets. She winced as the two guards gripped her tightly. They began to march her down another hallway. Nathan only required one guard to drag him along. He stumbled periodically and his lip trembled in fear. Melissa tried to turn around long enough to flash him a reassuring smile, but the guards wouldn't allow her, and they were soon plunged into darkness.

The dungeons were not as miserable as Melissa thought, but that could be attributed to her hyperactive imagination. It was a stone room much like all the others, but one part of it was divided by long metal bars. A pile of reasonably fresh hay was in one corner. Whatever terrible things the Unnamer had in store for them, an unsanitary, uncomfortable cell wasn't one of them. Melissa was grateful for that. She had had proper handwashing ingrained into her psyche, and she had also been trained in sterile technique. She let out a sigh of relief. However, she wasn't allowed this relief for long. She was thrown roughly into the cell. Nathan soon followed. He landed on top of her lap. She was grateful. At least he wouldn't have to deal with any bruises. However, she now had the breath knocked out of her as well as the twinges that she was sure would be purple by morning.

"Are you okay Melissa?" Nathan cried, leaping off of her. He sounded nearly hysterical.

Melissa nodded, trying to breathe deeply. "I... just need time... to recover."

"When's the Doctor going to come? I don't want to be here! He's going to hurt us!" He grabbed onto his tail, looking almost like he had when Melissa had first seen him. "Will he come on time?"

"Sure he will," Melissa said, getting to her hands and knees and crawling towards him. She sat beside him on the stone floor. "You know what? When I first met him, there were these terrible monsters after him."

"Worse than the Unnamer?" Nathan asked, his eyes glistening with tears.

"Much worse. You see, there's only one of him, but there were lots of these creatures, which are called Daleks, and they also had many brainwashed slaves. The Daleks wanted to destroy him because he was their enemy. They wanted to kill him because he had ruined their plans so many times before. If he can defeat them, then he can surely take on the Unnamer. All we need to do is sit tight and wait."

"I'm not brave," Nathan mumbled. "I'm scared. I don't want the Unnamer to hurt me."

"Brave people do get scared. That's what makes them brave. They fight the fear, and they win. If someone's never scared, then they're just stupid. I know that it's going to hurt, but it won't be forever. Just think, whenever it hurts, that it'll soon be over. That works for me sometimes. Also, it helps to think of something else." They had covered the basics of childbirth in her second semester, so she tried to recall some of the pain management techniques used in labor. "Like, think of your breathing. Make it slow and deep. And think of where you feel the happiest, the most peaceful."

Nathan hugged his knees and smiled. "My grandparents' field. It's not as big as the Forbidden Regions, but it's at least as pretty. There's lots of flutteries there."

Melissa smiled. "That sounds like a great place."

"What about you? What's your favorite place?"

Melissa leaned against the wall. "It's a long way away now. Even from where I live. You see, I used to live near mountains. Big, tall mountains with snow on the tops. My family and I, we used to camp there. My best memories are hiking up those trails and peering through a break in the trees and seeing the gorgeous scenery. No one goes there to spoil it, besides hikers and campers. It was beautiful."

"Maybe the Doctor can take you there. You travel together, don't you?"

Melissa smiled. "Sort of. He said he wouldn't, but he decided to take me along on one trip. I'm hoping he'll let me stay longer. Back where I come from, we never get this opportunity. It's such a marvelous escape."

"Escape? What do you want to escape from?"

Melissa paused. This was a sensitive question. However, she decided to turn it into a joke. "From nosy boys like you," she said, ruffling his hair.

Nathan laughed. It was the most precious sound the dungeons had ever heard.

*A/N Okay, so the naming thing actually worked! A bit of bonding time between the two captives, too. Will Melissa and Nathan be able to hold out until the Doctor comes? What does the Unnamer have in store for them?

Let's get back to the Doctor...


	3. Chapter 3

*A/N Yes, it's me! I'm back! I'm not dead or anything. I've sort of fallen out of writing for a while, but I'm trying to get back in. A few things have changed, though. I'm no longer in nursing school. I've graduated, and with the highest GPA of the entire program! That was a surprise (to me, at least). I took my boards and passed and now I'm a full Registered Nurse! I'm on the database and everything. I just don't have my paper license yet. And some more good news: I might be getting my first job within six weeks. The place I volunteer at takes in new nurses and they give top priority to volunteers. I missed the last opening because the right people didn't know about me, but we fixed that and as soon as they have an open space in orientation I will be there. I can't wait. I volunteer there with the Infection Control nurse, and she had me meeting all these people in hopes of getting me hired. I've even met with the CEO. I really hope I can work there. One of my former classmates got hired for the last orientation, and there's also another lady from my church who just got hired. It's also a smaller hospital in a smaller town, so I think I'd like the pace. I will have to sign a two-year contract, though, but I have no problem with that. A lot of other places require experience, so I think that two years will be plenty to get me in. However, I might not want to leave after just two years ;)

The sun was crawling leisurely closer to the horizon. The sky was beginning to darken, and the clouds were starting to blush pink. A slight breeze brushed down the emptying streets, a hint of the encroaching night. The inhabitants of this foreign world were finishing up their business in the marketplace and were heading home, eager for a warm meal and a sedate evening around a cozy fire. However, one man was not looking forward to any of those things. He was marching down the street, eyes fixed firmly ahead, his brown coat sweeping out from behind him.

Most buildings around the market were closing up for the night. However, there were a few which were still in business. The threat of the Unnamer had made many too skittish to risk dulling the senses with alcohol when they could be easily lead astray and marked for the feast. Therefore, there were few pubs or bars around as most people only served wines and ales at celebrations and in very scant quantities. Again, another impact of the Unnamer. However, the Houses of Feasting, or restaurants as Melissa might have called them if she had seen one, were open until the last sliver of sunlight escaped over the horizon. There was significantly less risk of wandering off and getting lost and picked by the Unnamer with food than with drink. It was to one of these Houses of Feasting that this man was heading.

The scents wafting from the establishment were heady and would have tempted the most reluctant taste buds to quaver in longing. The building was on stilts and the eating area was open to the air, the servers ascending and descending on elegant stairs that lead to the productive kitchens above. They were carrying crusty golden breads, succulent meats in unique cuts with exotic sauces dribbled over them, and many vegetables in varying colors, shapes, and sizes.

It was into this House of Feasting that the Doctor entered. A server headed towards him, eager for a patron, but something made him slow his enthusiastic pace. Sure, the Doctor was taller than most of them, his clothes were strange, and he didn't have a tail, but this would have earned nothing more than a confused frown or stare. There was something about him that made the server want to find a rock to hide behind. The air around him was practically quivering with some intense emotion the server could not name with certainty. He would say rage, but the man's face showed no sign of emotion except for a determined set to his jaw. However, the server knew that something was going to happen that would stir things up and send everyone reeling for days on end.

"Is – Is there something I can help you with,... Sir?" the server asked.

The Doctor turned. Though in English the sentence did not come out overly servile, he was aware that the word the server used was typically for those in some position of power or even a member of the nobility and not just any old stranger. He felt a twinge of remorse for scaring this poor man so and part of him wanted to dispel the tension by countering it by something a little less threatening, but Melissa needed help urgently and this was the quickest way to get it. He had wasted enough time already.

"Yes, there probably is something you could do for me, and for my _friend_, but I doubt that you'd want to," he said in a crisp tone. "You've put up with the Unnamer for so long that you've let him suck away all the bravery and compassion that you've ever had!"

Okay, maybe that was a little harsh, but it got the effect he wanted. He had their attention. Many heads turned toward him, most of them with shocked expressions. The server was trembling. "S-s-sir?"

"My friend was taken by the Unnamer," the Doctor said levelly. "I'm organizing a rescue party."

Even more heads turned. The room began to roll with murmurs. "Rescue someone from the Unnamer?" someone gasped nearby.

"This has gone on for too long," the Doctor said. "It must stop, and it will. With your help, we can put an end to all this terror, and we can do it tonight!"

"All very good, mister," a man with a cynical smirk said, ambling towards him with arms crossed. "But who are you to make such rash promises? Who are you to take on the Unnamer? You're a foreigner, aren't you? Obviously you don't know who exactly the Unnamer is."

"I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said evenly. "Obviously_ he_ doesn't know who _I_ am."

-CR-

He hadn't wasted any time searching for Melissa. The evening visit at the restaurant wasn't the only thing he had done. No, it was pretty much a last ditch effort, as all of his usual tactics had been fruitless. As time went one, he grew more angry and more afraid for Melissa. She did not have much time.

He had started in the TARDIS. He had vast resources in the trusty but temperamental time machine. He wasn't sure how much information it would have of this remote and isolated planet that had drifted along for many eons untouched by other civilizations. Still, it did not hurt to try.

The TARDIS was still a little unsteady from the vicious psychic attack. The Doctor was, too, having only had a moment to recover before catapulting himself into activity yet again. He was leaning on the console a little more than he usually did, needing the extra support. He was not going to waste any time in sitting back and waiting for his body to return to normal, as there was no telling how long it would take for everything to stop swaying. He was the Doctor, he could multitask. He could recover while he researched.

"Come on, old girl!" he muttered. "You can do this. Come on, you like Melissa. You're the reason she's here and not safe in her own bed! We need to get her back."

The TARDIS hummed reassuringly, as if she agreed with him and wanted to express her willingness to cooperate to her best ability.

"So, come on, flight log. What is the name of this planet?"

Unfortunately, the TARDIS could not conjure something out of thin air. The only thing she could give the Doctor was a set of coordinates.

"What? How can this world be a documented planet and yet be unnamed? That can't be very courteous for the inhabitants." He frowned at the screen. "I should probably read through all the information the databases have on this world. Perhaps there'll be a clue to the Unnamer in there."

While the TARDIS searched, he leaned back in the chair. He closed his eyes, not quite over the dizziness yet. "I do hope we find Melissa soon. Talking to thin air just doesn't feel right." He sighed. Speaking his thoughts out loud as he worked had become a habit for this regeneration quite rapidly. It must have had something to do with having companions around. Rose… Martha… Donna… with them around, it had never been this quiet or lonely. He had just gotten used to being alone again. How could he be accustomed to human company again so quickly? Melissa hadn't even been with him the equivalent of twenty-four earth hours.

Melissa was a lot like Rose, he thought. She was young and still had that wide-eyed innocence and curiosity. She was probably just as intelligent as Martha, also. He wondered if the two would like to meet someday. Martha was a doctor now, and Melissa was a nurse in training. They would doubtlessly find much common ground. And yet, as eerie as it seemed, there was a hint of himself in her. The way she behaved hinted at it. She was uprooted from her true home and probably changed too much to return to her previous life there. She was used to being alone, if her behavior with Russell was typical. And something about her told him that she was no stranger to loss. She had seen death before. And yet she was still just as excited to explore and help out as anyone else would be. He smiled when he thought of how eager she was to help poor little Moy and how she watched the natives of this planet with such fascination. He would love to show her more. But he wouldn't. No, he was going to take her back home as soon as he found her. He had to save her before she ended up like the others.

The results of the TARDIS's search showed up on the screen. He looked at it with fervor, but then he groaned with frustration and disbelief. "This really is quite a planet," he said. "I can hardly believe that _no one_ has ever been here!" Of course, there was the original ship log that lead him to decide to travel here, but the discoverer of this planet had breezed on past without even bothering to name the place. There were several other reports, but they only confirmed that a possibly habitable planet was located here.

The Doctor decided to try another tactic. "All I've got is his name," he grumbled. "Not a species, not a description, just this vague little bogeyman's tale that has a terrible truth behind it. Oh, and my psychic paper." Actually, that just might be the best way to identify this creature. The psychic paper had his psychic imprint, and therefore a sample of his psyche. With renewed vigor, the Doctor leapt up, staggering only slightly, and grabbed his coat. "Let's see how good you are at tracking, old girl."

The TARDIS had a very strange and spectacular reaction to the paper fed into its analyzer. The whole ship lit up in red and began to shudder. The Doctor was thrown to the floor with the tremors. His vision went dark, but he hadn't passed out. No, this was a psychic message that he was receiving through his poor TARDIS. All he could see was dull red eyes and gigantic long teeth.

"Doctor!" a voice bellowed, filling the TARDIS. "The girl is mine to feast on, and so are you! I do not take idle threats kindly. You will not leave my planet. No, I shall feast on you, and your time machine, too. I would like to talk to you longer, but you and I will see each other again very soon."

Then, the vision left. The Doctor leapt to his feet. This time there was no side effects, mainly because the psychic presence came through his psychic paper and not with a forceful attack. He ran to the doors. He need to get out. The only answers he was going to get would be in that town. However, by the time he got to the doors, they had slammed shut.

"Come on, let me out!" he shouted, tugging on the handles.

The TARDIS whined plaintively.

The Doctor turned around. "You're scared, aren't you? That thing, the Unnamer, has already attacked you twice, and you can see his power, right? Well, we have to stop him. We have to keep that village from suffering anymore. And we have to get Melissa back. Please let me save her."

The TARDIS's doors opened, and he rocketed off in a brown flash, leaving behind a hasty thank you.

-CR-

The next thing he did was question the local law enforcement. He had seen them wandering around the market place. They wore simple uniforms with crude leather armor. Their helmets weren't intimidating in the least and resembled buckets. Likewise, their spears were flimsy. Again, probably a result of the Unnamer's reign of terror. His eyes narrowed. These guards were more for decoration or a false sense of security than for actual defense. No wonder these poor beings weren't putting up much of a fight against the Unnamer. Perhaps he wasn't as strong as they thought. Perhaps the reason he was so blatant and proud about his power was that no one stood up to him. Perhaps he wasn't much of a threat to Melissa, and the Doctor could have her back safely in a few hours.

However, the Doctor had a feeling that it wouldn't be so simple. The Unnamer was likely very powerful, judging by the strength of the attack on the TARDIS. Maybe his psychic strength was somehow linked to his unnaming powers. That was a theory worth considering. In that case, he had a fair opponent in the Doctor, as Time Lords were one of the most telepathic beings in the universe. Of course, there were several species far more powerful, but they were a miniscule minority in the diverse vastness of space.

The Doctor's scientific curiosity was aroused by this unknown beast. An intelligent, telepathic being who fed on names and who had never before been discovered by a more advanced scientific race was quite intriguing. If he wasn't so bent on rescuing Melissa, then he would be quite eager to study this animal. However, this _thing_ had captured his companion, and he would destroy it if he had to, even if he was the only one of his species. Nevertheless, the Doctor felt a twinge of regret in never being able to see another specimen again.

He found a pair of guards and began to walk towards them. The two quickly spotted him and for some reason began to shift awkwardly. The Doctor paused, wondering why they were looking at him in that way. They lowered their spears. "Hey, what sort of greeting is this?" he asked. "I only wanted to ask a few questions."

"The Unnamer seems to favor foreigners," one of them said. "You'd better leave."

"But if he stays, then that means there might be a little more time for us," the other whispered in his partner's ear, but the Doctor still heard. "You know, if the Unnamer prefers foreigners, then he might pick him before he picks us."

"Yes, he might, but this foreigner's foreignness might just rub off on us, and then _we'd_ be in demand."

"In that case, you're right, he should leave now when he gets the chance, before the Unnamer finds out."

"A little late for that," the Doctor said with a little grin.

The first guard advanced his spear further. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean that, how do you people put it… Ah, I do believe I've been marked for the feast."

"You should know better than to go around talking like that," the second said. "How do you know that?"

"Well, he was kind enough to leave a letter," the Doctor said, pulling out his psychic paper. He almost sighed when he saw how the two cringed when they saw it. "Oh, and he attacked my ship and stole my companion. So, now I have to find her." Goodness, did he just call Melissa his _companion_? He'd promised himself no more.

"But it's too late!" the second cried. "She's already been devoured! She's part of his Unnamed Legions!"

"Still, it wouldn't hurt to try. Someone has to do something. You don't like living this way, do you?"

"No, but still, we're _living_," the first said. "If we didn't cooperate, we'd all be killed. We've already tried. We've sent many soldiers out to battle him, but they just became his own soldiers."

"Well, I might be just the person you've been looking for. You see, I'm a traveler, and I've seen far worse on my travels than this. This Unnamer, as he calls himself, is just another one of those egomaniacs who delight in causing pain. And those egomaniacs share one thing in common: they fear me. And soon he will, too."

"Those are big boasts for such a small man as yourself," the first scoffed. "Sure, you may be tall, but the Unnamed have muscles of iron. You look more like a twig."

"Well, you know what they say, don't judge a book by its cover," the Doctor murmured. "Still, you can help me by telling me all you know about the Unnamer."

"I don't think that's a good idea, sir," the second said.

"Why not?"

"I don't mean to offend you, but… what if you're something worse than the Unnamer?"

The Doctor stared at him for a very long moment. "Oh, for Rassilon's sake," he said before stalking off.

-CR-

His next step, he decided, was to see what kind of literature they had on the Unnamer. He found a building that looked a lot like a library and went inside. Sure enough, there were many books lined up all over the walls. Although this place looked similar to Medieval Earth, books seemed to be quite common. Many people were reading, even children, and the volumes were in no way chained to the walls.

He stepped towards the biggest desk in the room, assuming that this was where the librarian would be found. The librarian, a wispy female with soft red hair, looked up. Her limpid blue eyes didn't hold much fear. Judging from the reactions of the crowd that afternoon, the paranoid guards were the exception. This civilization seemed quite accepting of strangers and foreigners.

Or perhaps they couldn't care much, because the Unnamer had sucked out all the fight and life out of their race. He bristled with anger when he thought of that overgrown parasite. What did these people do to deserve such a cruel fate? They were not some sort of mindless food source meant for harvesting. They were sentient beings, capable of conscious thought. He began to regret what he had said to Melissa earlier. He should have been trying to stop that Unnamer ever since he had first heard that accursed name. What was happening to him? Why was he becoming so slow to react and save the helpless?

"Excuse me, sir, can I help you?" the librarian asked in a breezy voice.

He blinked. His brief mental rant seemed to have taken up more of his time than he thought. "Yes, I'd like to see all the books you have on a certain subject."

"As you can see, sir, our collection is quite extensive. Where would you like to begin?"

He smiled hopefully. "I'm wondering just how much material you have on the Unnamer."

The librarian's already pale skin blanched even further. Her eyes went wide. "The – The _Unnamer_? Why would you ever want to read about him? It's bad enough having him out there. There's no sense in having him in your mind as well."

"Yes, I know, unpleasant experience, already had that happen to me twice today, well, sort of twice, the first wasn't really that clear."

The librarian's shocked expression dissolved into one of confusion, just as the Doctor had wanted. At least she wasn't scared anymore. "Excuse me?"

"Listen, someone has to stop him, and it might as well be me." He leaned over the desk on his crossed arms. "He has a friend of mine, and I want her back."

"If he has her, then she's already gone. I'm sorry."

"I'm not going to give up until I see her dead body," he growled. "Or preferably until I bring her home, alive."

"If you go to him, then he'll just find your name and steal it. That's why no one can defeat him. Once he knows your name, it's over."

"Well, you see, my friend and I, we're foreigners. It's not very likely that he knows our full names. In fact, I don't know hers, and no one really knows mine."

"I'll see what I can do," she said, jumping off her perch.

The Doctor followed her. He was smiling at first, but it faded as he realized where they were headed. "This is the children's section."

"Yes. This is where we have most of our material on… him. Here."

He took the book he was handed and flipped through it. "Nothing more than what I've already learned off the street. Hasn't anyone ever studied him? You know, watched him at work?"

"Why would anyone do that? He's evil and ravenous. He would take your name before you have a chance to flee."

"I suppose no one's really ever seen him, either," the Doctor observed.

"No, no one has lived to talk about it. All we have is basically what the Legion of the Unnamed has proclaimed from the borders of the Forbidden Regions."

"Must have been quite an occasion," he muttered. "So, no one knows what he looks like. That's really not reassuring, as he could be anywhere. He could even be right here in this room, right now, and we wouldn't even now it. Not until he started snatching names."

"Please, sir, not in front of the children," the librarian whispered.

The Doctor turned around. There was a little group nearby, about half a dozen small, enthralled kids clustered around a storyteller with blonde, curly hair. "Do they deserve this future?" he wondered out loud.

"No, they do not," the librarian said in a similar tone. "It would be wonderful if you could help us, sir, but how could you?"

"The same way I normally do. Walk right in with half a plan which probably won't work anyway, but that doesn't really matter because it was only a rough draft anyway."

"… and the waters of the deep washed over them, hiding them forever from the eyes of the Oncoming Storm. He turned those eyes to the people of Dathink-Bor, forever free from the curse of the Kreeshek. And, with a howling wind, he vanished, never to be seen again. But whenever the people of Dathink-Bor looked up into the night sky and saw the stars, they knew that somewhere out there the Oncoming Storm was continuing on his march, bringing destruction to the destroyers and hope to the hopeless. For, as long as there will be good in the universe, there will be the Oncoming Storm to defend it. Now, it just so happened that the princess…"

The Doctor could hardly believe his ears. Of all the places to hear that story, it had to be on this remote planet in the form of a child's tale. However, as he thought about it, he realized that the planet the tale took place on could have easily been nearby, maybe even in the same system. It wasn't an adventure that he remembered easily, as he was in his… second regeneration at that time, he thought. Still, it was startling all the same.

"Well, thanks for the encouragement, Mr…"

"I'm the Doctor, as some call me. Others call me by other names."

"Such as…?"

"Hmmm, I get the impression that 'Oncoming Storm' might ring a few bells…" the Doctor mumbled before turning around and strolling quite casually out of the door. He didn't want to make too much of a fanfare, but this poor little town needed all the encouragement it could get. He snuck a furtive peek at the librarian, who was standing in the same position with her mouth wide open. Well, it looked like someone finally had some faith in him.

-CR-

_He goes to a restaurant, furious, everyone's afraid of him, one person isn't._

However, the sun was crawling across the sky, and he began to grow more and more anxious about Melissa. The guards were also growing more anxious, but for different reasons. He began to get frustrated when even more spears were thrust at him. As a result, he wasn't in a particularly friendly mood when he reached that House of Feasting.

The man gazed at him, still smirking. "No, mister, I don't know who you are, but I do know who I am. I am the manager of this House of Feasting, and I want you out. Now."

"Not until I get some answers," the Doctor said levelly but sternly. "I've wasted enough time as it is. My friend is waiting for me."

"This is a House of Feasting, not a House of Questions."

"I'm the Doctor. I can deal with this Unnamer. He's not the first tyrant I've encountered, and certainly not the last."

"Yes, but he is a monster."

"I deal with monsters almost daily. It's pretty much routine."

"Really? I wonder how you've gotten so much experience."

"I'm a traveler. I've come from the stars. I think you've heard of me. Some call me the Oncoming Storm."

His eyes widened, but his smirk didn't leave his face. "That's a child's tale. You're either lying or you're crazy. Anyone who helps you will be killed."

"No, I've had enough death. I will protect those who come with me, but I can't guarantee the fate of those who stay behind."

"B-but how can you stop the Unnamer from taking our names?" the trembling server asked.

"I don't know, but I'm sure I'll find a way," the Doctor said heavily. "He's a telepathic creature, and so am I. I was able to fight him off earlier. I may be able to do it yet again."

"I really don't like that 'may'," the smirking manager said. "I don't like anything but strict guarantees. I can give you one right now, if you want. I _guarantee_ you that if you're not out of here in five minutes I will call in the guards."

The Doctor snorted. "Perhaps you deserve the Unnamer." Then he stalked out of the House of Feasting. He remained in the dimming street a moment later, heaving a huge sigh. The sun was fading. He might as well go to the TARDIS. He wouldn't be able to do much investigating in the dark. And, if those people were right, then it would be very dangerous to be on these streets when the light left.

"Over here."

His ears perked. He turned his head and looked at the shadowy area next to a nearby door. He could see a glimmer of a pale face. "Who are you?"

"Someone who wishes to help you," the voice whispered. "Follow me to my house, Worthy Warrior."

"That's quite a nickname for a stranger," he muttered to himself as he followed.

-CR-

When the sun rose, the Doctor was standing at the fence bordering the Forbidden Regions. He gazed at the blackened ruins in the distance with a determined expression on his face. Over his shoulder he had a pack filled with food, water, and other supplies. Not that he needed them. It would be a quick search and rescue mission, not a heroic quest (though that point was arguable). And if he needed anything, he could just grab it from the TARDIS on the way. No, he had it on his back mainly out of courtesy. The woman in the shadows had been so helpful.

"_You can stay here tonight," she said. "And go on in the morning. It's not safe to be out at night."_

"_That much I've gathered, but why are you doing this? Why are you being so helpful? No one else has helped me as much as you have."_

"_This isn't much of a help. I would go with you if I could have, but I'm cowardly, and I have a family that needs me. But you're the Oncoming Storm. You're our only hope."_

"_I wouldn't say 'Only hope'. There might be someone else who comes along later."_

"_We seldom get visitors. And I've seen you. I've heard how you helped that poor boy Moy in the marketplace. You are a noble warrior. And your friend, Melissa, is the same. I hope you bring her back."_

"_I hope so, too. She wasn't supposed to come at all."_

"_Here's a bag. I've filled it with all that I thought you might need."_

"_No, you didn't need to do that."_

"_Doctor, please, allow me. If I can't go with you, then at least allow me this small service."_

The Doctor readjusted the pack as he trod through the long grass. The fortress, the Unnamer's dwelling, as the woman had said, was quite a distance away. He moved forward with strength and purpose. If the Unnamer had been watching, he might have recoiled a little in fright at the look of smoldering anger in the Doctor's eyes. However, the Doctor allowed himself one small pause in his journey. He stood a moment by his faithful TARDIS, sadly stroking her exterior.

"I'm sorry to have brought you here. To have someone molest you in that way… it's unforgivable, I know. And I won't even ask you to go with me. You've had enough so far. So, I guess it's goodbye for now."

The TARDIS hummed regretfully as he set off to that dirty presence that had traumatized her internal telepathic network. Yes, the Unnamer was a monster. And, like all monsters, it would soon fall because of the Doctor.

*A/N So, the Doctor's off! And I didn't expect to make the TARDIS that telepathic. I'm guessing that seeing "The Doctor's Wife" changed a few of my ideas. I think it's pretty obvious who that woman is.

The Unnamer had better watch out. The Doctor might just be more than he can handle...

Don't worry if you don't hear from me in a while. I'm not giving up on this story. I'll feel so guilty for keeping you waiting. I might be getting awful busy with work, though. I'll have people's lives on my hands (and I'm not old enough to drink yet). Also, I have this novel I've been working on for years, and just now I've got an outline that should work. I'm thinking of making a Deviantart account and putting some pictures of my characters up. Yes, I've been practicing my drawing, too! If you want to look for me, it'll be under the same name.


End file.
